Laptops for refugees

LAPTOPS FOR REFUGEES CAMPAIGN

The first phase of our Laptops for Refugees campaign earlier this year was a huge success. Thanks to all of our amazing supporters, we managed to raise £2,476 and over 100 laptops were donated towards the project.

With the money raised, we have been able to refurbish and deliver 54 refurbished laptops to refugees, asylum seekers, and those in need across the UK so far this year. That’s 54 families and individuals who would otherwise not have access to vital services such as healthcare, the job market, and education; not have the opportunity to reconnect with friends and loved ones; and not be able to research local services and groups and integrate into the local communities.

Thank you for your help so far!

But it’s not over yet… we are now relaunching our Laptops for Refugees campaign to raise the remaining £2,500 needed to fund the refurbishment of another 50 laptops to help over 100 people.

Can you help us achieve this amazing milestone and give a lifeline to vulnerable refugees and asylum seekers throughout the UK?

HERE’S A FEW SIMPLE WAYS YOU CAN HELP:

DONATE!

We’ve got all the laptops we need, we now just need the funds to pay for their refurbishment so they can be shipped out and gifted to those who need them most.

There’s plenty of ways you can donate, all of which take just a couple of minutes.

In-store: Head along to the Edinburgh Remakery at 127 Leith Walk, Edinburgh EH6 8NP

By phone: Call us on 0131 629 9358 and we can take secure card payments over the phone

FUNDRAISE!

Whether you want to run marathons, hold a bake sale, sky-dive, or sit in a bath full of baked beans, you can set up a fundraising page and connect it to our charity, Remade in Edinburgh, through Wonderful.org and all the amazing people who donate to you will be helping us to reach our £2500 goal!

And of course you won’t be alone, let us know if you’re fundraising for us and we’ll support and share your amazing fundraising activities through our social media channels.

SPREAD THE WORD!

There’s a whole lot going on in the virtual world, and a lot of competition to make your voice heard, so one of the most amazing – and easiest – ways you can help is by sharing our campaign with others.

Share our posts and stories on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram, or tell your friends, family, and colleagues about the project. We think it’s well worth talking about – we’d shout it from the Remakery rooftops if we could find a big enough ladder! – so tell your friends and family, share a bit of hope, and give something amazing to someone in need this year.

SCROLL DOWN TO FIND OUT MORE ABOUT THE PROJECT AND HOW YOUR DONATIONS CAN MAKE A REAL DIFFERENCE

Why should you donate to the Laptops for Refugees scheme?

There are an estimated 118,955 refugees living in the UK and in 2016 the UK received 38,500 asylum applications. Many of the refugees who are resettled are survivors of torture or other forms of violence and are forced to leave their homes as a result of conflict.

Many families and individuals that are resettled in the UK have very little in the way of personal belongings, and their situations often mean they end up living in isolation. Providing them with a laptop gives them vital access to the job market, education, healthcare and other mainstream services, as well as a means to communicate with others and rebuild their lives in safety. (source: UNHCR).

Please donate now and support this worthy cause – https://www.wonderful.org/appeal/laptopsforrefugeescampaign-ee226db0

If you have a laptop you’d like to donate you can drop this off at the Edinburgh Remakery during opening hours (www.edinburghremakery.org.uk/contact) or post it to us at: Edinburgh Remakery, 127 Leith Walk, Edinburgh EH6 8NP

FAQs

What organisations are you working with to deliver this scheme?
We are currently supporting The Welcoming, Refuaid, Bikes for Refugees, the City of Edinburgh Council Immigration Services, LinkLiving, the West Lothian Civic Centre and HiMRA with free IT equipment for the people they work with.

Is anyone funding this scheme?
Each organisation that we work with provides us with referrals to let us know how many people are in need of laptops, but we receive no financial help for this project and rely solely on donations.

I am a refugee or asylum seeker in need of a laptop. Can you help me?This scheme is run through referrals from trusted organisations throughout Edinburgh and the UK who already work with and offer services and support to refugees and asylum-seekers. We cannot give donations to individuals outside of this, but please get in touch with one of the organisations we work with and we would be happy to help you through them.

How much does it cost you to refurbish a laptop?
The cost to us per laptop averages at £50 and breaks down as follows: £33 / 2.5 hours refurbishment, £10 / spare parts, £7 collection/delivery costs (transport and postage). For this scheme we are waiving a management fee to keep costs to a minimum (please note that this cost breakdown is illustrative and can vary between laptops).

Can you guarantee my donated laptop will go to a refugee or asylum seeker?We try to give those in need a laptop that is easy to use, reliable, and speedy and so try to allocate only high spec laptops to this scheme. Therefore, the newer the laptop, the better! However, it is possible we can reuse older laptops for parts to refurbish newer models to donate to the project. If this is not possible then we will refurbish your donated laptop and sell it on, which will help to support and expand not only the refugee scheme, but our other community and outreach services.
​What will you do if you raise more than £5000?If we raise more than this, the extra funds will be put towards extending and improving the scheme to help even more people.

Do you accept phones, tablets, and other IT accessories?Yes we do. Although these will not be used in this project, we can refurbish phones and tablets and sell these on, securing more funds to support and expand not only the refugee scheme but our other community and outreach services. Please note that tablets and phones must be unlocked prior to donation.
​Do you look for donations all year round?Yes, we accept donations of laptops and furniture all year round – for more information about what we can accept please visit www.edinburghremakery.org.uk/join-us/donations. Refurbishing and selling these on is our main source of income, which helps to fund our free weekly repair surgery and other services in the community.

Find out more about our other community work and services here – https://www.edinburghremakery.org.uk/about-us/building-a-stronger-community/